NHS Scotland crisis: Scottish Government and Humza Yousaf 'failing to deliver' NHS recovery plan, new information shows

A progress update document from August last year gave five NHS national treatment centre projects “red” status due to “limited progress”

Broken promises to deliver national treatment centres (NTCs) are proof of Humza Yousaf’s “deadly legacy” in charge of NHS Scotland, according to opposition politicians, after the Government’s discussions on the NHS recovery plan were revealed via Freedom of Information responses.

Officials told Humza Yousaf in February that projections for the NHS recovery plan had “dropped significantly” amid uncertainty over the opening dates of new treatment centres, it has emerged.

Labour has published responses to Freedom of Information requests, which show the Government’s discussions around NTCs – key parts of the plan to boost NHS capacity in the wake of the pandemic.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf during a visit to the Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Service (RCDS) at the NHS Fife Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.

When the recovery plan was launched, the Scottish Government said these could lead to an additional 40,000 more planned operations and procedures to take place each year.

A series of emails show that in response to a report from Audit Scotland, then-health secretary Mr Yousaf’s office asked for figures on how much capacity the NTCs would provide this year.

In response, his office was told: “We have discussed with officials and they have advised against including a figure on capacity as projections included in the NHS Recovery Plan have dropped significantly and policy colleagues expect further fluctuation in capacity this year as NTCs continue to report their figures.”

A progress update document from August last year gave five national treatment centre projects “red” status due to “limited progress”.

Scottish Labour’s health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said NHS Scotland had been “plunged into crisis” by the Government and “what this revelation shows is that the SNP is unable to turn it around”.

“Not content with crashing our health service, the SNP is now failing to deliver the modest recovery plan that it promised to implement,” she said.

“Targets are being missed and progress is stalling while patients are forced to go private and the agency bill soars. SNP incompetence is threatening the very existence of our NHS.

“Michael Matheson must act now to support our valiant NHS staff and to undo the deadly legacy of Scotland’s worst ever health minister – Humza Yousaf.”

The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.